Why do I need to use a mask for my skin? If I take care of my skin, shouldn’t it be just fine? With this article we’ll give you some solid reasons to support the importance of facial masks; why you should apply masks on a regular basis and the benefits to your skin.

Facial Masks Do’s and Don’ts

There are several reasons to mask. Think about your skin care in general. You wash your face in the morning, apply a moisturizer and it barely has time to be absorbed before your make-up is on and you fly out the door. Is this you?

At night we do the same ritual however after a day of traffic, dirt, sweat, air conditioning, hot cars and gym time – our skin needs a stronger cleanser. So sometimes we just wash twice. Many people use a gel type cleanser in the evening along with a good eye make-up remover and in the morning they use a more gentle approach. Whatever your regime, your skin is only getting a little bit of attention in the morning and at night. The importance of facial masks should not be overlooked for both your skin health and the added benefit of a little spa-like relaxing time.

When you apply a mask for your skin type – whether it’s a peptide based anti-aging mask or a super hydrating vitamin rich mask or a nice pore tightening mask with fruit extracts – all these wonderful products have the special ability to really make a difference in your skin because you are applying them to a clean surface (right after cleansing) and you allow them to penetrate. Ah, yes – the time factor!

May we suggest you DO apply your mask and:

wash the dishes

make the bed (change the sheets)

watch an episode of the bachelorette

talk on the phone to a friend

curl up and read a book while enjoying your sherbert

Definitely DO NOT:

take out the trash (neighbors, yikes!)

do anything with nail polish (you need fingers later)

dye your hair (pores are open, no place for chemicals)

bake anything – no, this is relax time

ask cute neighbor over to see your shell collection – no, you are masking!

In many cases a great mask needs a bit of time to penetrate your pores and work the magic of Vitamins B1, B2, B5, B12 and lovely peptides, cherry or yucca extracts. Co-Q10 and alpha-lipoic acids, and more. It’s important to find a great mask your skin needs to replenish nutrients and lost hydration. Don’t be fooled by the big marketing print on the front label, but rather turn to the ingredient list in back for the best understanding of what’s in that product.

and if the main thing that you like is listed last, for instance – honey and milk – then you can be sure there is barely .0009 ounces of that in the actual product.

Just don’t be fooled by the front of the label telling you how natural the product is when you see an ingredient list way, way long and it reads like a Russian novel. The chances of your face not liking it is very high.

First time mask users – beware!

Some people have never used a mask. They tell others they “don’t need it” or their “face is too sensitive” for a mask. Well, you can be sure that their skin is not happy. They did not get the memo about the importance of facial masks. The stinging effect you might get from a nice, moisturizing mask with uber, super-cool happy ingredients is just your face in shock from finally absorbing something great for the first time ever.

If your skins’ acid mantle is off, you will get a slight stinging from any mask. What to do? Remove it after a few minutes, close up the pores with cool, cool water and hydrate with a great moisturizer. Try it again the next night. Always moisturize. Over time your skin will not only accept this new mask, but it will be happy, glowing and dewy. In other words, you will have given it great skin food – an awesome masking moment.

With your skin in great shape, you will use less make-up and have smoother, more even skin tone as well.

Do you have advice for Facial Mask users? Anything you’ve learned about applying masks and you’d like to share? Use our comment section below. Thanks for reading our article today.

As the winter weather continues to wreak havoc on our lives it is drying out your skin in a major way. What are some great tips for winter skin care?

1) Use a humidifier.

As you sleep your skin is not being hydrated. No extra water intake means that every available molecule is getting drier and less happy by the moment. Don’t be afraid to drink water before you go to bed. Your body needs the moisture. If you are worried about having to get up during the night to use the bathroom – you shouldn’t worry. It’s your body just cleansing itself and the impurities need to leave! Add a humidifier to your evening sleep and you will not only stay more hydrated, but you will sleep better too. Don’t forget to clean the unit every 3 months or so with vinegar or other solution to kill bacteria that will form if left unattended.

2) Apply a heavier night moisturizer.

At night your skin is repairing. After you wash your face your skin is usually stripped of some natural oils. If you do not replace these oils with a moisturizer before you go to sleep your skin will be very dry and this can lead to premature aging signs like lines and wrinkles. Use a heavier moisturizer so you seal in the hydration over your 8 hour sleep time. A good moisturizer will absorb into your skin and never feel greasy. Any product that makes you feel too oily most likely has petroleum oils contained in the formulations. Stay with a natural product with some active ingredients for them best overnight moisturizer.

3) Use a thick infinity scarf outdoors.

I know you have a fabulous infinity scarf! Use this type of scarf to cover your face during very cold, windy days. Don’t just cover your throat – pull up the scarf to cover your cheeks and mouth area as well. The more protection against blistery wind when it’s -2 degrees out – the better!

4) Shoulders, Knees and Toes

Your shoulders, elbows, knees and feet get very neglected during the winter. Take your evening moisturizer (the thickest) and apply moisturizer or hand lotions very liberally. Do this twice a day – once in the morning and once at night before bedtime. No one likes a rough foot or a scratchy elbow. -=Keep everything smooth and happy and don’t forget to use something natural. Please be sure to read the ingredients. Many national brands with the words “natural” in their title are loaded with alcohol and bad ingredients that they hope you are ignoring. A good hand lotion or moisturizer is easy for formulate using natural ingredients.

5) Limit coffee and soda intake.

Many people know this but it’s worth a reminder. Limit drinking items that do not provide hydration. Soda has sugar and sodium. Coffee is not the same as drinking water – it robs your body of proper moisture. Be sure —–to have your one or two cups in the morning and that’s it! Ask for fresh, natural spring water at luncheons or dinners and keep a handy water bottle near you throughout the day – especially if you are working out!

6) Exfoliate Lightly to Remove Debris

When you feel like nothing is getting through to your skin it might be an indication that there is a layer of dead surface debris in the way. You can purchase a facial exfoliant to help slough off the dry skin, or you can use some new products that add a bit of rough yet gentle ingredients to your existing cleanser to help loosen things up. Make sure you let the product do the work for you and do not scrub too aggressively or you might tear your skin.

Always apply your favorite moisturizer after an exfoliation so hydration begins immediately. Don’t just dry your face and go on with your day….your skin needs to be replenished after removing the debris and dead skin.

It’s about that time of year when the pool closes (sigh), the kids have homework (yeah!) and you are seriously low on propane for the grill (dang!) and the thought of cooler evenings and chili sounds good, right? You think back about your summer and reflect on the good times – the sun and fun and memories made with friends and family. Now that the kids are back in school you can focus on the important things like – your next spa visit! I wonder what Fall Spa Services I should choose? – hmmmm.

If the sun was involved in any of your activities you probably could use a wonderful, deeply exfoliating, super hydrating type of facial. Remove that dead skin and black heads congested with old sun screen applications (you did use sunscreen right?) and clear your skin of debris. Time for some fall spa services!

Ditch your old skincare products. Keep your skin healthy!

Strongly consider getting some new products and ditching the old ones in your cabinet. Many people are using products that have lost their positive qualities and although it might feel good on your skin, some old products have slowly turned into a jar of goopy preservatives.

Yes. That is true. Throw out anything old than 8 months and move onto something new.

Buy a new product with your Fall Spa Services visit.

If you made an appointment with an esthetician they should have made sure you left the spa with at least the most important product you needed. In many cases that is moisturizer. Many people are under the impression that moisturizer is bad so they use it sparingly. All that does is make your skin more oily because it must generate oil so that you can smile! 🙂 But then many people got the memo about overhead fans drying you out during the summer, so they have doubled the moisturizer protection at night – awesome!

Either way – please do purchase that one product your esthy recommends. Fall spa services are designed to help you make that transition from summer to fall. Take care of your skin now and it will age gracefully – slower than the tanned beauty fanatic prematurely aging every day in those tanning beds!

Fall spa services should include one take home skincare product! Be prepared for winter coolness and you skin needing more moisture.